Caverns and Rock Shelters. 81 



TKe Caverns and Rock Skelters of tke 

 Cumberland Valle}? 



By W. E. Myer. 



For many years I have been interested in the exploration of the 

 caverns and rock shelters of the Cumberland Valley. In discuss- 

 ing the matter with several scientific friends I found they agreed 

 with me in believing that the valley of the Cumberland offered an 

 ideal location for primitive man at the end of the last glacial 

 period, if he were here at that time. If anywhere in the Union 

 traces of man contemporary with the early cave man of Europe 

 could be found it would be here. The caverns in the river clififs 

 of our valley are easily defended, and many of them moderately 

 dry and would make admirable dwelling places for savage man. 



Within my own county, Smith County, along the river bluffs 

 are found many such caverns. I have carefully explored many 

 of them, and, much to my surprise, have been able to discover no 

 traces of their having ever been used as dwelling places. 



Practically all of them which have entrances easily closed to 

 keep out wild animals have been used as burial chambers. An- 

 other surprise to me was that the aborigines did not appear to have 

 buried their most important dead in these caverns. I have found 

 dozens of bodies in these caverns, but never any with fine gorgets 

 or other insignia of high rank. The ornaments and vessels have 

 always been inferior. The persons of rank, judging from their 

 ornaments, were always buried in the great sepulchral mounds, 

 which are found at many places in our valley. 



There arc at Castalian Springs, in Sumner County, of this state, 

 the remains of one of the largest Indian towns east of the Missis- 

 sippi River. It contains several mounds. One large mound about 

 three hundred feet long and twenty feet high, and two small 

 mounds about eight feet high and eighty-five feet in diameter. 

 The largest mound was explored by other men, as recorded in 



